Whew. I made it. For some reason, sending my daughter off to 1st grade - a FULL day of school was terribly hard. It hurt. I ached. I cried. I felt silly. My son was headed to third, the wee one was tearing it up at preschool. With those two - we hugged and waved, but my heart-strings stayed intact.
But my 6 year-old little girl… so “old”, but still so young. All day? Really??? As I left the classroom her teacher put her arm around my shoulder and asked if everything was alright. As tears filled my eyes like water fills a just-flushed toilet I squeaked, “She is, but I’m not.” I walked into the pod and saw a fellow mom (whose daughter was in Olivia’s morning kindergarten class last year), and she was also teary-eyed. We talked for quite awhile. It was good - otherwise I might have made my way to my car and fallen into a weeping pile of… weepness.
It’s not that Olivia is “easy” or perfect… but she’s my girl. And as messy and relentless as she is, she’s my precious little girl who will be gone most of 5 of 7 days of the week. Is that right? I know…I’ll get over it, but if anyone wants to get a coffee with me tomorrow morning… I’ll be at… email me :)
In other “First Day of School News” - I packed lunches today. Yay me! While packing the last of the food items, I remembered something my dad used to do - even through my high school years. He used to write notes on my napkins or on pieces of paper and hide them in my lunch. I still have some of those notes. I thought that was the coolest thing ever back then… and I still think what he did was the coolest thing ever… prolly one of my favorite and most treasure memories… Therefore…
Here’s Olivia… heading off into the big, cold world. Good thing she has a super-cool rolling back-pack thing! When I picked up Olivia from the bus today - she leaned back in her seat and said, “I am sooo tired! We worked All! Day!”
Joel got to choose his own seat at school. The previous student left him a note (each classmate had a letter waiting for him/her from the previous years’ students):
Are you just gushing all over? Oh. My. Heck. This is just over-the-top adorable! You MUST read that first sentence like Napoleon Dynamite would say it, “Mrs. ABC is only the best teacher in the world.”
And finally… my Lucy. She met up with her bestest friend. She has called this friend “My sister friend”… Little girls…
Picture 1: “Girl, give me a hug!!! Have you lost weight?”
Picture 2: “You look terrific! Did you get highlights?”
Picture 3: “Oh my gosh - did you see my new bag?!”
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Keep up-to-date on the insane, the insightful, and the whatever…
I was a first grade teacher and I can tell you, you are not alone. It was always more hard for the moms than the kids.
She will be fine and you will be too :-)
Oh honey. First grade is a biggie. I had the same problem when DQ started sixth. I’m anticipating being a total wreck next year when she starts high school!!!!
The notes are such a lovely idea. I do that sometimes with DQ and Mr. Clairol. I’ve asked DQ if that’s dorky, but she still likes it, especially when they’re funny.
(((((BIG HUGS)))))
Hang in there, Mama.
You are so sweet. I had my breakdown with Chris going into K. Janel…I was just relieved to get her into school before she drove me insane!
I have always thrown the camera at The Calm One and made him take our oldest on the first day of school.
It never even occured to me to take pics of the other two starting preschool. I guess it’s still true . . . the oldest always gets more pics taken of them!
I leave notes in my kids lunches sometimes too! They always love to tell me about it when they get home. And sometimes I’ll take a bite out of their sandwich too and they think that is hilarious!
And the note from the last class - that is such a cute idea! I wish I was a teacher so I could steal that idea!
Awww. I want someone to leave a note in my lunch!
my husband took me out to breakfast and a movie when all four were finally in school for a whole day. it was nice and kept my mind off things. my mom used to leave notes like that in our lunch box. i wish i had kept them.
Love those pictures!!! How adorable … especially the back of Livi heading down the hallway with her new backpack! I wish I were there to go to coffee!!! I’ve had a pretty hard first month of school (Haley & Connor seem to be just fine!) It’s just me :) paranoid, guilty me … worried about their days … what they are doing, who they are with, the influences that are out of my control when you drive away from a school. Will they meet nice kids with nice families? Be with kids that play nice? Have teachers that nurture & encourage them? I pray every day for their days, their teachers, their influences and how my kids might be a positive influence to others … and let their little lights shine :).
My kids used to love when I’d leave them notes in their lunches. I haven’t done it in awhile (since I became an ogre & make them make their own lunches) but maybe I should slip one in their backpacks or folders. My daughter just had a meltdown over some algebra homework. I bet she could use a pick-me-up when she opens her math folder. Thanks for the reminder!
Those were sweet pictures! And I totally used my Napoleon voice when I read the 1st line of the letter.
I hope this morning was easier for you.
Oh my… look at Olivias expression in the third picture of Lucy! “Like, can you hurry it up already! I don’t plan on being late for my FIRST day of FIRST grade!!!”
(You can’t see the full face, but I see it!!!)
I’m glad everyone had such a wonderful day at school!!!
How fast are they allowed to grown! How beautiful they are too! You did awesome at least you owned up to it and lived the experience.
Me I am completely in acceptance - of denial! No tears, just busy, very busy. That’s my plan. Almost shattered by the hubbs who had the grace to remind me on the first very emotional day of school that our oldest will be at the JR. High in a mere two years from this day. Sweet of him no? His timing was impeccable but I kept it strong and simply have forgotten those words. They are far, so very far from my mind during my days alone now that my loves are at school for such a short period of the day. I am so not even focused on any of that. Not at all. Excuse me, where is that coffee shop again?
Fabulous post Jenny - thanks for giving me a glimpse into life with kids…yours are adorable!
I too send a note along, OCCASSIONALLY, with UNCLE DAVE’s Lunch….try to hide it, so he finds it when he eats his lunch…it is harder now, that he packs it himself most of the time…I think it is totally COOL that your DAD did that for you as a child!!!!
NEATER that you do it for your children…I did it for Matthew, when he was in school!!! TOO COOL!!!!! Must be a FAMILY THANG!!!!
Love you, AUNT ROBIN….LOVE THE PICTURES!
I used to leave notes on the kids’ napkins, too! Now I’m an ogre like D… and I make them make their own lunches. Hey - they’re in 6th and 9th grade. They need some self-sufficiency in their lives! But I think I, too, will sneak little notes in their backpacks or folders. Because they need a little Mommy-love in their lives, too.
P.S. I love this statement: “tears filled my eyes like water fills a just-flushed toilet”!